Americas Cup- High Noon at the America's Cup Corral

Pierre Orphanidis of European sailing website, www.vsail.info, is in San Francisco for the start of the 34th America's Cup Regatta. He attended the Media Conference held at 9.30 am Pacific team (4.30am NZT), by Regatta Director, Iain Murray

The conference was called against the very tense background of two weeks of commentary and at times criticism of the process adopted by Iain Murray in implementing the 37 Recommendations drafted by him after a safety review. The Protocol for the America's Cup requires any rule changes to be agreed by the unanimous vote of all teams.

That has not happened on one to three of the categories, and the matter has been taken to the International Jury by two of the teams seeking to have the terms of the Protocol enforced.

Murray did not address his reasons for the course that he had followed, which effectively bypassed the Protocol. It was clear that he had taken a pragmatic view of the situation and the obligations he has shouldered in regards to safety. Further he has applied his views in terms of his experience as a yacht designer to amplifying the Recommendations into Rules and also the Coastguard permit.

The story run from vsail.info also contains the audio of the Media Conference, and a lot of very interesting comment, which are too detailed to expand, in this story.

The out take from the media session will be that the issues will go to the International Jury on Monday July 8, 2013 who will make a Decision. It may be that their Decision is that the matter goes back to the teams to vote on the AC72 Class Rule changes, as the Protocol requires.

If the teams are able to agree on the changes, or a version of the changes that is acceptable (or equally unacceptable), then the Regatta should proceed, and if required the US Coastguard will be notified of a possible amendment to the Class Rules, as provided to adjust their Permit.

If the teams are unable to agree on the AC72 Class Rule Changes, Murray will go back to the US Coastguard saying that there is a more substantial change to the Recommendations that he is submitted, and that in his view the Regatta is not safe.

It would then be expected that the US Coastguard will withdraw their Permit and the America's Cup Regatta would not take place.

The war of words keeps unabated in San Francisco, a mere four days before the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup. It was Iain Murray’s, America’s Cup Regatta Director, turn today to express extremely strong words against Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa, accusing the two teams of 'taking advantage of Andrew Simpson’s death'.

It was a very long media conference, with Murray often going into very technical details that I admit I couldn’t follow. The heated exchange of accusations from both sides is the latest chapter in a poker, typical of an America’s Cup, and listening to Max Sirena and Iain Murray one can easily think that the other is a bald faced liar, twisting the truth. Regardless of the truth, I wouldn’t like to be in Murray’s place. He seems to be in a difficult position, out there on his own with the wolves.

With the use of the online player you can listen to the entire audiocast, so I think it is far more important to stick to the most important and relevant facts that can affect the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup.